THERE were dramatic scenes in City Hall tonight as an animal welfare campaigner shouted at council leader David Green over concerns about dogs and horses at a travellers' site.

Lord Mayor Joanne Dodds threatened to have the unidentified member of the public ejected, after she shouted comments like "you're wrong" and "disgusting" from the balcony.

A group of campaigners had presented councillors with a petition calling for them to take action to protect dogs and horses at Esholt travellers' site.

Petitioner Beverley Wilson called for the council to take action against a resident of the site.

She claimed dogs were locked in a dark outbuilding "to break them down" before being bred from.

She said if they barked, "he beats them into submission".

She said: "They suffer in silence, waiting for help that never comes."

Councillors voted to pass the petition on to the RSPCA.

Cllr Green said the RSPCA had visited the site on a number of occasions, sometimes with independent vets.

He said: "While the standards of welfare may fall short of those expected by the individuals complaining, they do not contravene the law."

Cllr Green said both the council and the RSPCA took their responsibilities seriously but they "were only able to act when there's irrefutable evidence of legislation contraventions".

The heckler shouted: "What, dead horses in fields?"

Cllr Dodds, chairing the meeting, told the heckler: "Can I please ask you to be quiet, or you will be asked to leave the room."